Relentless diplomatic pressure by India leads to Makki's designation

NEW DELHI: United Nations Security Council has designated Abdul Rehman Makki, the brother-in-law of 26/11 mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed who has been given a safe haven in Pakistan, as a global terrorist under its ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.

India's perseverance has largely been responsible for the stepping up of international pressure to designate the Pakistan-based, LeT deputy chief Makki as a global terrorist.

This listing is seen as a major win for New Delhi after China in June 2022 blocked a joint proposal by India and the US to get the UNSC to list Makki as a global terrorist.

Beijing put a last-minute "technical hold" on the joint proposal to put Makki on the UNSC's 1267 list of terrorists linked to al Qaeda and ISIL. The move by Beijing was condemned by India as "extremely unfortunate."

"On 16 January 2023, the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da'esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities approved the addition of the entry specified below to its ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1 of Security Council resolution 2610 (2021) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations," the UN said in a statement on Monday.

Resolution 1267 provides for sanctions against individuals and entities that support or finance the acts or activities of ISIL, Al-Qaida, associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities. Makki is the deputy leader of LeT, an organisation that was later renamed the Jamaat ud Dawa (JuD), as a terrorist. Just like LeT, the JuD is also a UN-designated terror group.

Also known as Abdulrahman Maki, he served as the head of 'foreign relations' department of the LeT and a member of its governing body or Shura and contributed to raising money for the LeT operations. In India, Makki is on the UAPA list of designated terrorists and is wanted in for his involvement in the Red Fort attack in Delhi in 2000, the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, and attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

The US has also placed Makki on its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists and has announced a USD 2 million reward for information that would convict him.

When it comes to counter-terrorism, Pakistan has made limited progress on the most difficult aspects of its 2015 National Action Plan, specifically in its pledge to dismantle all terrorist organizations without delay or discrimination, said the US State Department in its 2020 Country Reports on Terrorism.

The country has failed to take adequate steps to counter-terrorism and prosecute terrorists including masterminds of the 2008 Mumbai attacks such as Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) founder Masood Azhar and LeT's Sajid Mir, the US-based report said.

Moreover, China has also placed hurdles for the listing of known terrorists, particularly from Pakistan, repeatedly.

The communist nation, an ally of Pakistan has blocked proposals to designate Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of the Pakistan-based and UN-proscribed terrorist entity, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).